Teen killed St. Louis officer in 'spur of the moment decision'

ST. LOUIS - A 15-year-old boy was charged Saturday with killing a police officer in what authorities said was a "spur of the moment decision."

The suspect, whose name was not released, was charged in Family Court and was being held by juvenile authorities in the shooting death Wednesday of officer Norvelle Brown, 22.

Police Chief Joe Mokwa said in a news conference that the 15-year-old had decided to kill a police officer and Brown was not targeted for any other specific reason.

Xavier McCully, 18, was charged with unlawful transfer of a weapon to a minor, a misdemeanor, police said.

McCully was there when Brown was shot and supplied the gun, but was not charged with a felony because he did not know the 15-year-old planned to shoot an officer, Mokwa said.

The chief declined to say what led police to the two teens, but said tips from the neighborhood were vital to the investigation.

Brown was killed Wednesday night while patrolling alone on the city's north side. A bullet entered the back of his left shoulder, pierced both lungs, and exited through his right armpit. Two other officers who rushed to the scene administered CPR before driving him to a hospital, where he died about an hour later.

Brown graduated from the Police Academy in November and asked to be assigned to the neighborhood where he grew up despite its reputation as a high-crime area.

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